I'm glad to hear you are interested in Computer Science at Florida Tech.
Upon request, our Admissions Office
admissions@fit.edu
will send you application forms
and information about our degrees in Computer Science, Information Systems,
and Software Development.
I encourage you to visit campus anytime, in particular, you might want
to visit during an
Open House
You can learn about Florida Tech and our department from our Web sites:
you'll find details about our undergraduate programs.
I will be more than happy to answer questions you may have.
Also to give you a better picture of Florida Tech, I may be able to put you
in contact with a Florida Tech alumnus or with a current student near you.
Academic scholarships are available to qualified students regardless of country of
citizenship and regardless of financial need. Scholarships range from $5,000 to
$10,000 per year. Students applying for admission are automatically considered for
academic scholarships, no additional scholarship applications are required.
You have chosen one of the top career fields in the world and I am
confident you will find that Florida Tech's program is among the best.
The university has recently been awarded a $50 million grant for
construction of an advanced engineering complex.
We moved into the new facility in January 2000.
It has significantly enhanced our teaching and research capabilities
in computer science.
We are sincerely interested in recruiting and retaining outstanding students
who wish to succeed in Computer Science, so if there is anything I can
do to help you in your search for a college don't hesitate to ask.
I'm glad to hear you are interested in Computer Science at Florida Tech.
Upon request, our Admissions Office
grad-admissions@fit.edu
will send you application
forms and information about our graduate level degrees: Master's of Science
in Computer Information Systems, Master's of Science in Computer Science,
Master's of Science in Software Engineering, and Doctor of Philosophy
in Computer Science.
You can learn about Florida Tech and our department from our Web sites:
Financial aid is available to a limited number of new graduate students.
To receive aid you must have demonstrated potential in computer science,
either by excellent grades in computer science and related course work,
or by excellent scores on standardized tests such as the GRE.
International students are required to take the TOEFL and must have
a score of 600 or higher to be considered for a graduate scholarship.
Official TOEFL scores must be reported to Florida Tech
(Institution Code = 5080, Department Code = 78)
All new graduate students assistants are required to attend a series of
seminars that are conducted the week two weeks prior to the start of classes.
Scholarship awards, per term, include 6 credits toward tuition and 20 hours
of stipend, which varies depending on the degree in which the student is
enrolled. Aid decisions are not made until May of each year.
Additional information on assistantships and and application form
are available at URL
We are requiring general GRE tests scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytic) for
admission to our Master degree programs.
Applicants for the Ph.D. degree should submit GRE general and computer
science subtest scores.
I will be more than happy to answer questions you may have.
You have chosen one of the top career fields in the world and I am
confident you will find that Florida Tech's program is among the best.
The university has recently been awarded a $50 million grant to
construct an advanced engineering complex. The new facility,
which opened in January 2000, has enhanced our teaching and research
capabilities.
We are sincerely interested in recruiting outstanding students
who wish to succeed in Computer Science, so if there is anything I can
do to help you in your search for a college don't hesitate to ask.
Peterson's Guide to Computer Science at Florida Tech
Peterson's Guide to Computer Science at Florida Tech
2002-2003 Academic Year
College of Engineering
Department of Computer Sciences
The Department of Computer Sciences offers programs of graduate study leading
to the degrees of Master of Science in Computer Information Systems,
Master of Science in Computer Science, Master of Science in Software
Engineering, and Doctor of Philosophy.
Major areas of study include
artificial intelligence, database systems, information assurance, programming languages,
software engineering, software testing, and web technology.
The master's degree in computer information systems is for students
who do not have an undergraduate degree in computer science but who wish
to obtain advanced training in this field.
The course work required for this degree provides a broad background in the
major areas of computer science.
All students must pass a final program examination during their last semester.
The master's degree in computer science offers the student the opportunity
to pursue advanced studies in various areas of computer science.
The program is designed for students with baccalaureate degrees in
computer science and provides a solid preparation for those who may pursue
a doctorate. All students must complete and defend a thesis,
or pass a final program examination during their last semester.
The master's degree in software engineering offers the student the opportunity
to advance their skills in software development and software project management.
The program is designed for students with baccalaureate degrees in
computer science or closely related fields.
Software testing and computer security are fields of emphasis within the department.
All students must complete and defend a thesis,
or pass a final program examination during their last semester.
The doctoral program is designed to provide research in the disciplines
of computer science. The program requires broad knowledge of computer
science fundamentals, mastery of a specialized subject, and the creativity
to produce a dissertation based on original research.
The Computer Science Program occupies approximately 2,750 square feet of
laboratory space and 2,000 square feet of office space
in the new F. W. Olin Engineering Complex,
a state of the art teaching and research facility.
Computer laboratories support active research programs in artificial intelligence,
database systems, programming languages, software engineering,
software testing, and web technology.
The Program provides graduate students with a wide range The of computing
resources for course work and research.
There are six computer laboratories reserved for computer science students.
The College of Engineering and the University provide additional
computer laboratories for student use.
Computer resources include IBM, Silicon Graphics, and Sun workstations and PC
networks.
All machines are connected on a 1Gb internal network and externally to the
Internet.
Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available to qualified
students. For 2001-2002, stipends range from $15,400 to $17,300 for twelve
months. All assistantships include tuition remission. Computer-based
information on scholarships, loan funds, and other student assistance
may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office
and the Department's Web site http://www.cs.fit.edu.
In 2002-2003, tuition is $690 per semester credit hour for all graduate
students. As noted above, however, tuition is remitted for students
awarded assistantships.
The cost of living in central Florida is approximately 15 percent lower
than the national average. Housing for single students is available in
on-campus dormitories. Efficiency apartments, as well as one-, two-,
and three-bedroom apartments for single and married students, can be
obtained
in the area surrounding the Institute. Average monthly rental rates
range from $325 to $550.
The department currently has an enrollment of 180 graduate students from
colleges
throughout the United States. Approximately 25 percent of the graduate
students are women and 59 percent are international students
Graduates of the College of Engineering have found employment with such
firms as IBM, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Oracle, Cadence, NASA, Harris
Corp., AT&T, General Electric, Northrop Grumman,
Lockheed Martin, McDonnell Douglas, Rockwell International, Advanced Micro Devices, USF&G,
United Technologies, Honeywell, Computer Sciences Raytheon, ITT
Aerospace, U.S. Patent Office, CIA, Los Alamos National Laboratory,
Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Undersea
Warfare Center, and Rational Software.
Florida Tech's main campus is located in Melbourne, a residential
community on Florida's Space Coast, Melbourne is the key city in south Brevard
County, which also encompasses nine other smaller communities on the mainland
and beachside. The Kennedy Space Center and Disney World are within a
90-minute drive of the Institute. The area's economy is a well-balanced mix of
electronics, aviation, light manufacturing, opticals, communications,
agriculture, and tourism.
Florida Tech was founded in 1958 and has developed rapidly into a
university that provides both undergraduate and graduate education in the
sciences and engineering for selected students from throughout the United
States and many countries. Current enrollment on the Melbourne campus is
about 4,000. In addition to the computer sciences, Florida Tech offers graduate
programs in aerospace engineering, airport development management, applied
mathematics, aquaculture, aviation science, biotechnology, business
administration, cell and molecular biology, chemical engineering,
chemistry, civil engineering, computer education, computer engineering,
ecology, electrical engineering, engineering management, environmental
management, environmental resource management, environmental science,
industrial/organizational psychology, managerial communication, marine
biology, mathematics education, mechanical engineering, ocean
engineering, oceanography, operations research, physics, science education,
space sciences, and technical and professional
communication.
Further information forms for admission may be obtained from the
Graduate Admissions Office. Students are required to take the GRE
General Test and encouraged to take Subject Test in Computer Science and submit score for
consideration. Separate application for financial aid must be made
on
forms available from the department's web site
and must be submitted by March 15.
Graduate Admissions Office
Florida Institute of Technology
150 West University Blvd.
Melbourne, FL 32901-6975
Telephone: 321-674-8000 Ext. 8027
Fax: 407-723-9468
E-mail: mailto:cfarrior@fit.edu
World Wide Web: http://www.fit.edu
Dr. W. D. Shoaff, Head
Department of Computer Sciences
Florida Institute of Technology
150 West University Blvd.
Melbourne, FL 32901-6975
Telephone: 321-674-8000 Ext. 8763
E-mail: mailto:wds@cs.fit.edu
World Wide Web: http://www.cs.fit.edu
The Faculty and Their Research
Michael Andrews, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Kent, 2002.
Software engineering, debugging techniques.
(E-mail: mandrews@cs.fit.edu)
Shirley Ann Becker, Professor; Ph.D. Maryland, 1990. E-commerce,
database and information systems, software processes and management.
Developing Quality Complex Database Systems,
IDEA Group Publishing, 2001.
``A Global Perspective of Web Site Usability,'' IEEE Software
18, 1:54-61, 2001.
``Aligning Strategic and Project Management Systems'', IEEE Software,
16, 3:46-51, 1999,
``The Technical Infrastructure for Software Process Improvement''
in Software Process ImprovementConcepts and Practices,
IDEA Group Publishing, 1999,
``A Study of a Generic Schema for Management of Multidatabase
Systems'', Journal of Database Management 7, 4:14-20, 1997.
(E-mail: abecker@cs.fit.edu)
Phil Bernhard, Associate Professor; Ph.D. SUNY at Albany, 1988.
Databases, database performance tuning and optimization,
software engineering.
``Experimental Evaluation of Techniques for Database File
Assignment,''
International Symposium on Information Systems and
Engineering, 2001.
``Partitioning Message Patterns for Bundled Omega Networks'',
IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, 5, 4:353-363, 1994,
``A Reduced Test Suite for Protocol Conformance Testing'',
ACM Transactions On Software Engineering And Methodology, 3,
3:201-220, 1994,
``An Intelligent, Agent-Based Assistant for Database Performance
Tuning'', International Conference on Artificial Intelligence,
331-335, 1999.
(E-mail: pbernhar@cs.fit.edu)
Pat Bond, Associate Professor; Ph.D. University of Georgia, 1976.
Software architecture, software systems.
``The Use of Response Surface Methods for the Analysis of System
Architectures,'' SES Annual Performance Modeling Conference Proceedings, 1999.
``SES/workbench Tips: Precedence Networks to Loop Nodes'',
SES Annual Performance Modeling Conference Proceedings, 1999.
(E-mail: pbond@cs.fit.edu)
Philip K. Chan, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Columbia, 1996.
Scalable and adaptive systems, machine learning, data mining,
parallel and distributed computing.
``Using Artificial Anomalies to Detect Unknown and Known Network Intrusions,''
IEEE International Conference on Data Mining, 2001.
``Cost-based Modeling for Fraud and Intrusion Detection: Results from the
JAM Project'', DARPA Information Survivability Conference and
Exposition, 130-144, 2000.
``Distributed data mining in credit card fraud detection'', IEEE
Intelligent Systems, 67-74, 1999.
``AdaCost: Misclassification Cost-sensitive Boosting'', International
Conference on Machine Learning, 97-105, 1999.
(E-mail: pkc@cs.fit.edu)
Cem Kaner, Professor; Ph.D., McMasters University, 1984, J.D. Law, Golden,
Gate University, 1993.
Lessons Learned in Software Testing,
John Wiley & Sons, 2001.
Bad Software: What To Do WhenSoftware Fails, John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
Testing Computer Software,
edition, John Wiley & Sons, 1999.
(E-mail: ckaner@cs.fit.edu)
Ronaldo Menezes, Assistant Professor; Ph.D., University of York, 1999.
Coordination and distributed systems, parallel models of computing.
``Scalability in Linda-like Coordination Systems''
in Coordination of Internet Agents
(Models, Technologies and Applications), Springer-Verlag, 2001.
``Distributed Garbage Collection of Tuple Spaces in Open Linda
Coordination Systems, Symposium on Computer and Information Sciences,
1999, ``Using Tuple Monitoring and Process Registration on the
Implementation of Garbage Collection in Open Linda-like Systems'',
IASTED Parallel and Distributed Coordination Systems, 1998.
(E-mail: rmenezes@cs.fit.edu)
Debasis Mitra, Associate Professor; Ph.D., University of Louisiana at
Lafayette, 1994,
Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology, 1984,
Artificial intelligence, spatio-temporal reasoning.
``Interactive Modeling for Batch Simulation of Engineering Systems as a
Constraint Satisfaction Problem,'' Proceedings of the International
IEA/AIE Conference, 2001.
``Turning chaos into order: a critical evaluation of web-based technologies,''
WebNet, 2000.
``The consistent singleton modeling (CSM) algorithm for any
domain,'' IJCAI, 1999.
(E-mail: dmitra@cs.fit.edu)
J. Richard Newman, Professor and Vice President for Information Technology; Ph.D., Southwestern
Louisiana, 1976.
Software engineering, information systems management, CASE tools for
cleanroom software engineering, legal issues, program specification tools.
``An undergraduate curriculum in software engineering,'' Proceedings of the
Fourth Annual Conference on Software Engineering Education, SEI, April 1990
``Performance issues for an expert system written in Ada,''
Fifty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the Florida Academy of
Sciences. Melbourne, Florida, March 23, 1990
(E-mail: newman@cs.fit.edu)
William D. Shoaff, Associate Professor; Ph.D., Southern Illinois, 1981.
Mathematical programming, parallel algorithms, parallel processing,
supercomputers, computer modeling in genetics, computer graphics.
``The recognition of imperfect strings generated by fuzzy context sensitive
grammars.'' Fuzzy Sets and Systems 62:21-29, 1994
``Domain Independent Temporal Reasoning With Recurring Events'',
Computational Intelligence, 1996,
``Integrating Literate Programming and Cleanroom Software Engineering,''
Second Australasian Conference on Computer Science Education, 1997,
``Texture Mapping with Wavelet Transforms'',
IASTED Computer Graphics and Imaging, 289-293, 1999.
(E-mail: wds@cs.fit.edu)
Marius Silaghi, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology, Lausanne, 2002.
Artificial intelligence, distributed problem solving, asynchronous
algorithms.
``Maintaining Consistency for ABT,'' 7th International Conference
on Principles and Practice of CP, 2001.
``Asynchronous Search with Aggregations,'' AAAI 2000.
(E-mail: msilaghi@cs.fit.edu)
Ryan Stansifer, Associate Professor, Ph.D., Cornell, 1985.
Programming languages, compilers, information systems,
internationalization. ``Implementations of Bidirectional Reordering Algorithms,''
Eighteenth International Unicode Conference, 2001.
The Study of Programming Languages, Prentice Hall, 1994.
M. L. Primer, Prentice Hall, 1992.
The Foundation of Program Verification, Wiley, 1987.
(E-mail: ryan@cs.fit.edu)
James Whittaker, Professor; Ph.D., Tennessee, 1992.
Information assurance, statistical testing of software, software reliability engineering.
``Software's Invisible Users'' IEEE Software 18, 3:84-88, 2001.
``What is Software Testing. Any Why is It so Hard'', IEEE Software 17,
1:70-79, 2000.
``Stochastic Software Testing'', Annals of Software Engineering, 4:115-131,
1997.
Clean Room SystemsEngineering Practices, IDEA Publishing, 1996.
(E-mail: jw@cs.fit.edu)
Florida Tech has established admission requirements for students
transferring from other universities and college.
These requirements are described on Florida Tech's
Admissions Web pages.
Florida Tech has an articulation agreement with all of Florida community
colleges and universities.
This agreement stipulates that courses taken at one school will
transfer to the other school provided at least a C is earned in the
class.
How is computer science different from computer engineering?
See the previous question and link to an answer.
Why I choose Florida Tech for my education in the computer sciences?
Most students report that their reason was the ``Program of Study''
We have a dedicated faculty who teach (almost) all undergraduate
computer science courses. All, but one, members of the faculty have earned
a Ph.D. in Computer Science or closely related field.
Are students smart:
the average SAT scores was 1198/1183 for students entering the program in Fall 2000/2001
(Math 625/617, Verbal 573/566).
About 10% of undergraduates are provided financial support through
research grants directed by computer science faculty.
We also hire many undergraduates as system administrators, to assist in our open labs, and to
mentor beginning students in teaching labs.
There is ample opportunity to work closely with the department's faculty.
The department has a full-time student coordinator to help students with ``maneuvering''
through the maze of academia.
The number of students is small (250 undergraduates) with a 20-to-1 student-faculty ratio.
Most classes are small: 25 or fewer students. This leads to more
effective instruction.
We offer a well thought out curriculum in computer science, information
systems, and software engineering.
There is a stable core and many electives for specialization.
The College of Engineering
supports four teaching laboratories with 60 PCs,
and two Unix teaching labs (one with 14 Sun workstations and one
with 14 Silicon Graphics workstations)
What do you think computer science is all about and what do computer
scientists do?
Are your quantitative (mathematical, reasoning, logic) skills good?
Are your communication (written and verbal) skills good?
What experience (tool user, game player, programmer, web developer) do
you have using a computer?
Professor
Ph.D., University of Maryland 1990, 674-8149, 248 EC,
abecker@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Software Engineering, Database and Information Systems
Associate Professor
Ph.D., SUNY at Albany, 1988, 674-7294, 249 EC,
pbernhar@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Databases, Database Performance Tuning and
Optimization, Software Engineering, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design
Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1976, 674-7563, 241 EC,
pbond@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Operating Systems, System Performance Analysis,
Software Engineering Processes, Software Metrics
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Columbia University, 1996, 674-7280, 242 EC,
pkc@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Scalable and Adaptive Systems, Machine Learning,
Parallel and Distributed Processing, Data Mining, Intelligent
Systems and the Internet
Professor
J. D., Golden Gate University, 1993,
Ph.D., McMaster University, 1984, 674-7137, 250 EC,
kaner@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Software Testing, Software Law
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., York University, 1999, 674-7623, 244 EC,
rmenezes@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Coordination Systems, Parallel and Distributed Computing
Associate Professor
Ph.D., Louisiana State University, 2000, 674-7737, EC 251,
dmitra@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Temporal Reasoning, Artificial Intelligence
J. Richard Newman
Professor and Vice President for Information Technology
Ph.D., Southwest Louisiana State, 1976,
674-8020, EC-353,
newman@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Software Engineering, Curriculum Development,
Software Systems Development, Intellectual Property and Legal Issues
Associate Professor and Department Head
Ph.D., Southern Illinois University, 1981,
674-8066, 252 EC,
wds@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Computer Graphics, Algorithms, Computer Modeling
Associate Professor
Ph.D., University of Tennessee, 1992,
674-7638, 247 EC,
jw@cs.fit.edu
Research Interests: Software Testing, Reliability Engineering, Software Engineering
Advisor assignments for new students will be available before the end of the
second week of the term.
At first new students should seek any faculty member of the Department of
Computer Sciences for advice.
We will register you for this term after the presentation of this orientation
information.
Meet with your
advisor.
With your help, develop a ``Program Plan'' in your first term.
If you have subject deficiencies noted on your admission letter,
take them first: MTH 2051 Discrete Mathematics, CSE 5000 Introduction
to Programming, CSE 5001, Computer Organization and Assembly Language
CSE 5000 Introduction to Programming: a first course in C++
CSE 5001 Assembly Language and Computer Organization: computer basics
Required courses: CSE 5100 Data Structures and Algorithms,
CSE 5220 Computer Architecture, CSE 5230 Operating Systems, CSE 5250
Programming Languages
Strive to be a excellent student and be invited to join
Upsilon Pi Epsilon
(UPE) the computer science honor society.
Dr. Phil Chan
is our faculty sponsor
IEEE Computer Society:
Join the local Electrical Engineers (IEEE).
Dr. Medhi Shahsavari
is our faculty sponsor
Students in the Master's of Science in Computer Information Systems
are required to pass a comprehensive examination in the last term
they are registered as a full-time student.
Students in the Master's of Science in Computer Science
may elect to take a comprehensive examination in the last term
they are registered as a full-time student, but they are encouraged
to write a thesis under the direction of a member of the
computer science faculty.
Information on comprehensive examination is available at the URL:
In a nutshell, the Master's of Science in Computer Information Systems
examination consists of three sub-exams:
1.
Data Structures and Algorithms
2.
One subject selected from software:
Programming Languages,
Compilers, or
Software Engineering
3.
And, one subject selected from systems:
Computer Architecture,
Operating Systems, or
Computer Networks
The Master's of Science in Computer Science examination consists of four
sub-exams:
1.
One subject selected from applied software:
Artificial Intelligence,
Databases, or
Graphics
2.
One subject selected from software:
Programming Languages,
Compilers, or
Software Engineering
3.
And, one subject selected from systems:
Computer Architecture,
Operating Systems, or
Computer Networks
4.
One subject selected from theory:
Analysis of Algorithms
Formal Languages, or
Discrete Mathematics
The Computer Science Doctorate of Philosophy examination consists of a
breadth exam administered by the program, and a depth exam administered by
the student's doctoral committee.
The breadth exam has 8 sub-exams:
``I just wanted to let you know that after being in the workforce for 9
months or so and seeing the diversity of backgrounds of schools makes me
really appreciated my schooling. I think the undergraduate program is very
well structured.''
Davlyn L. Chin
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Spring 2003 Graduate
Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training, and Support
Software Engineering LDP Associate
``I went to Florida Tech because they have an appealing and
unparalleled Software Engineering curriculum that prepares you well for
the ever changing software industry.''
Arun Chitrapu
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Fall 1998 Graduate
Master of Science in Software Engineering
Fall 2000 Graduate
Software Test Engineer
Microsoft Corporation
``As a foreign prospective student, seeking a MS degree in Computer
Science, my decision to attend FIT was not a very informed
one. However, soon after classes began, I did realize that it was
actually a great decision. With its quality faculty members and modern
computing facilities, the Department of Computer Sciences at Florida
Tech offered a challenging environment to study different areas of
computer science and to get involved in a variety of research
projects. This program also offers rewarding career options to its
graduates due to the strong relationship of the faculty with the
industry. Overall, Florida Tech turned out to be a very good selection
for me.''
Ertan Toprakbasti
Master of Science in Computer Science
Fall 2000 Graduate
Software Test Engineer
Microsoft Corporation
``When I look back at my life, I consider my choice to enroll at FIT
is a true blessing. I learned how to do research, as well as write
and publish technical papers.
My confidence and future would not be possible without the superb
support from CS department, its excellent professors, and the good
study environment Florida Tech has provided.
I also enjoyed campus life, which allowed me to develop
friendships with students from around the world, taste varied cultures,
enjoy fun new experiences, and contribute back to the surrounding Melbourne
area through community service projects.''
Hyoung-rae Kim
Master of Science in Computer Science, 2001
Ph.D. Candidate in Computer Science, 2004, expected
Assistant Professor, Livingstone College, beginning Fall 2004
``I transfered from the University of Texas at Austin to
Florida Tech at Melbourne when I changed my major
from Operations Research to Computer Science.
Soon I felt comfortable because of nice faculty members who satisfied
my scholastic spirit.
My experience suggests prospective student who wants to study Computer
Science won't regret coming to Florida Tech.
You will learn more than just raw knowledge.''
Ki-Sub Jung
Master of Science in Computer Science, 2001
Software Engineer
(Traffic Engineering, Signal Processing)
Samsung Electronics
Telecommunication Department
``I came to Florida Tech as a foreign student. I soon learned that I was
able to develop my personal interests in Computer Science, not only
through the curricilumn, but also through the pursuit of my personal
interests in computer science with the aid of the very supportive
faculty.
After I graduated I established a successful software development
company in Melbourne Florida, where I enjoy the fruits of my
studies.''
Alex Soya
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, 1988
President
Lexisoft
150 W. University Blvd. Melbourne, FL 32901 (321) 674-8000
*
*
*
edition, John Wiley & Sons, 1999.
(E-mail: